Review of Tus’ Clay Pots and Skillets (Westgate Center, Alabang)

Tus’ Clay Pots and Skillets in Westgate Center, Alabang celebrated its first anniversary last March 8, 2015. TUS’ Restaurant may look like just another modern European restaurant in the city, but wait until you step inside and you’ll be in for a treat! Owned by Maricar Sason and Chef Krsna Algenio (photo below), TUS (Spanish for “yours”) serves food in cazuela (Spanish clay cookware) and ceramic skillets. Considering the variety of interesting dishes they offer, this downright charming space can easily be your next favorite breakfast, lunch, and dinner haven.

Review of Tus’ Clay Pots and Skillets (Westgate Center, Alabang)

Ambiance: ★★★★★

“Cozy yet cosmopolitan” sums up the two-story TUS’ Restaurant as a perfect spot for romantic dates or even a reunion meal with your family on a weekend. Hardwood floors and good lighting lend an international feel, while wooden accents on furniture and decors show character and elegance that make you feel at home. I also love its Euro-hip ambiance filled with lots of quirky displays on the shelves and walls that make the place look even more unique and picture-friendly for the camera.

Service: ★★★★★

As one would expect of a restaurant at this level, service was pleasant and remarkable. Above all, the servers here were responsive and eager to provide what the customers needed.

Food: ★★★★★

Appetizers

If you don’t like green food, do yourself a favor and break out of that shell even for a sec. 😛 Tus’ Spinach Dip (PhP 220) is a must-try! Paired beautifully with bread, it appealed as hot and gooey and all that great stuff. Like a crowd-pleasing French take on the all-American spinach and artichoke dip, the Spinach Dip was made with tons of seasoned spinach blended with cream and topped with mozzarella cheese.

We also had the Jalapeno Croquettes (PhP 150) that were filled with mashed potatoes and jalapenos. These were insanely addictive and the accompanying cheddar cheese sauce ​rocked the taste just right. You may think of these croquettes as a carbohydrates-laden snack or a hearty helping packed with comfort.

Mains

Moving on to our mains, we were wowed by the size of the BLT Calzone (PhP 460). It appeared too big to be all eaten at once! With great fillings and solid texture, TUS’ folded pizza was a simple and straightforward rendition executed very well. It was stuffed with BLT (bacon, lettuce, tomatoes), mozzarella cheese and served with aioli sauce—just what you think of when you imagine a great Italian calzone.

Next, we were served with three kinds of pot pies cooked upside down on a clay pot with a variety of ingredients, mozzarella cheese, and homemade dough. The Chicken Ranch (PhP 270) was made with pan-seared chicken tossed in alfredo sauce topped with homemade ranch dressing. Its filling, complete with cubes of chicken, was flavorful.

Topped with homemade sausage pizza with basil and marinara sauce, the House Sausage (PhP 390) was spot on. There’s a hint of a dash of spices in the sausage that made its flavor pop. The crust was also crisp and not too soggy and not too burnt.

For vegetarians, the Margherita (PhP 390) must be a hit. Baked with marinara sauce drizzled with olive oil, this pot pie was a delight in our palate, stopping just shy of filling our appetite. Toppings included freshly sliced tomatoes, fresh basil, and sea salt.

If you’ve been looking for a credible burrito, I can safely say that you’ll find one at Tus’ Clay Pots and Skillets. Its Wet Beef Burrito (PhP 390) is highly recommended. Basically, it’s burrito rice and beef wrapped in a tortilla, lathered with tomato sauce, covered with mozzarella cheese and salsa, topped with sour cream and jalapenos. All ingredients were put together like a match made in heaven. Mmmmmm!

Now, we’re down to the steaks. Tus’ Skillet Steaks are quality rib-eye steaks cooked according to the customer’s done-ness and served with the choice of side: fries, smashed potatoes with gravy, butter, sauteed corn, or rice. You can’t go wrong with any of the following: Herbed Butter Steak (PhP 620) topped with a mix of fresh herbs and butter, Cheese and Onions Steak (PhP 660), and Spicy Lemon Pesto (PhP 660). Combining ultra glorious fifth taste, these cuts of meat were so rich, buttery, tender, and beefy that you really can’t resist to get a big hunk of the steak yourself. Savor, and not gorge.

Desserts

Warm and chewy, the Half Baked Cookie (PhP 180) was gooey and creamy. I appreciated that it wasn’t too sweet but just sweet enough. The flavor boasted nice notes of chocolate (kinda like Milo in powder form). Eating the half baked cookie with ice cream was extremely satisfying. There’s no wonder that it got lots of compliments from our table.

Tus’ Tiramisu (PhP 220) was moist and decadent, with the familiar taste of coffee-and-cream. If you’re not concerned to welcome summer with a dent on your diet, all you have to do is dig in and devour.

Drinks

Finally, for our drink, we shared a pitcher of Pineapple Float (PhP 445). What seemed to be an innocent pineapple juice was anything but. It’s pineapple juice with scoops of vanilla ice cream! Ahh… it’s so good. There’s not much more that needs to be said.

Tabs are quite on the expensive end, but payoffs include a marvelous team of staff, high quality food, and the privilege to dine in with style. Tus’ Clay Pots and Skillets’ location may be pretty out of way for some (1-2 hours drive from Manila in my case), but this gem in Alabang is worth the trip for superior variants of modern European fare and an overall relaxing meal. It’s a good idea to book ahead or make a reservation in advance. Enjoy! 🙂

105 Responses

Yeah haha I was craving for each of those dishes while writing the review since I was trying to remember the tastes as well as the experience. Oh! This restaurant is lovely and everything is a must-try! 🙂

Ohhh, i’ve said it before and i’ll say it again, i’m a huge steak person and i began salivating instantly when i saw the pic above hahaha. Looks super duper yum! (i’m gonna demand for a steak dinner soon now *LOL*). And the half baked cookie OMG, i wanna try! I always like soft baked cookies (crunchy ones are so not for me), so this one looks heavenly!!! Thx for making me hungry, Roch *stare*. LOL

Haha well well… you must take note of TUS. 😛 Decor is unique and well thought out. Service is friendly and on point. This should be a priority for anyone looking for a good steak in Alabang. That’s all. 🙂

I enjoyed all the dishes, that we tried. But special mention to these: The Chicken Ranch was the bomb! I enjoyed having that, with every bite! I totally enjoyed the desserts as well. Love the half baked cookie!!@ Wohooo!!!!

You know a place is good when your mouth waters just because you’re reviewing it right? TUS has a bit of an upscale ambiance which makes me feel the need to dress up a little but it’s worth it for the food. Spinach dip was super good!

Now, this definitely looks like a place that I could totally enjoy! The food looks delicious. You had me at appetizer. I love jalapenos 😉 And my sweet tooth was totally wanting the desserts. I would love a half baked cookie right now!

I loved Butamaru, but I enjoyed our dinner with TUS more because there was just too much food on the table haha… I know there are many restos along Westgate Mall but when I go back to Alabang I’d probably still choose Butamaru and TUS. I believe there’s so much about these two restos that we still need to discover. And oh yeah, that half-baked cookie still haunts me in my dreams. It’s just too good!

Haha wow. I’ll also pick those two and some other restaurants which have not yet established a good presence in Manila area. I’m actually looking forward to a return visit here. Grabe, everything talaga was good. The ratings say it all. 🙂

I don’t have the slightest clue on the Parenthood series, but whatever it is, I’m glad you love how the atmosphere here appears to be. It’s better in real life. 🙂 You must drop by and check out these items soon!

This sounds like a great place to experiment with new kinds of foods! This Jalapeno Croquettes that are filled with mashed potatoes and jalapenos is something like I have NEVER had before. I would totally love to try this or recreate my own. YUM!

Food and Lifestyle Blogger in Manila

Roch Santos-Sioco is behind the blog Rochkirstin | com. Based in Manila, Philippines, she's a digital marketing strategist by day (and sometimes by night, let's get real) and a blogger with a large appetite for food & travel. She always aims to create content that's meaningful and enjoyable, whether it's a full-length blog post or a 140-character tweet.

When not blogging or eating, you can find her thinking about innovative technologies, planning out where to eat or travel next, or looking up on trends about health, pets, and wine. :)

Get in touch with her through rochkirstin@yahoo.com or view the About page to know more.